Patent GB-974283-A (GB)
IPC: G21F7/06
Abstract: 974,283. Peening; jointing by forging. UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY. June 6, 1962 [June 13, 1961], No. 21379/61. Heading B3H. Apparatus for applying an elongate member to and securing it within a circumferential groove in a cylindrical body including guide means for presenting the member to said groove, means for rotating the said body so that the member becomes positioned in said grooves, and means for peening the edges of said groove to secure the member in the groove. Apparatus for applying a length of uranium foil strip 1 to and securing it within a circumferential groove 2 of a cylindrical nuclear reactor fuel element end cap 3 comprises a magazine feed assembly 4, a winding mechanism 5 comprising a slotted guide 6, a rotatable mandrel 7, an electrically driven vibrating peening unit 8 and a ported slide 9. The magazine comprises a transparent tube 13, a cap 14 and is mounted in a flanged sleeve 15 secured to a plate 18 fixed to a structure 20. A slide 9 reciprocates between the magazine 4 and the winding unit 5 and is carried on steel balls 22 by guides 23. A tray 25 spaced from the slide by a flanged sleeve 26 is attached to the slide which is positioned relative to the mandrel 7 and magazine 4 by a spring-loaded ball 121 locating in a recess 124. The slide is operated by a handle 32 through chains and sprockets 31, 30. The unit 5 comprises the mandrel rotatably journalled within a sleeve 34 by a ball-bearing 35 and needle rollers 36. A spring loaded ejector plunger 11 is located in the central bore of the mandrel 7. The mandrel is rotated and secured to the bearing by a screwed hand nut 38. The sleeve 34 is supported by a bracket 43 located in a vertical slideway 45 of a bracket 44 attached to a plate 46. The guide 6 comprises a transparent sleeve 49, a lateral slot 136 closed by a cool plate 137, a convergency 138 which guides the strip 1 into the slot 136, and is secured to the plate 46. The peening unit comprises a known type of vibrator 50 carrying a tool 54 and guide 54a, attached to a carrier plate 51 axially adjustable by means of a screw-and-nut 59, 61 and supported on a block 55. A pneumatic ram 10 is actuated by a five-port valve 66 controlled by a lever 70 interlocked with a lever 71. The lever 70 is attached to a cap 72 provided with tongues 73 which engage one end of a rotatable flanged sleeve 75 mounted on a pillar 76 attached to the plate 51. The lever 71 is similarly constructed and their sleeves 75, 79 fitted with sets of cams. The rotational movement of the levers 70, 71 is limited by a pair of pegs 81 located in a block 80 positioned between the sleeves 75, 79 engaging the slots 82 of flanges 83 of the sleeves. The conical end 89 of a spring-loaded interlocking bolt 85 slidable in the bracket 80 co-operates with an indent 90 in a flange 91 formed on the sleeve 79 whilst its cylindrical end 92 is arranged to engage with a slot 93 of a flange 94 of the sleeve 75. A micro switch 95, plunger 96, is actuated by a spring 96a engaging a flat 97 of the flange 91 to open or close the vibrating motor 50 circuit. A spring-loaded cranked lever 98 pivoted from a bracket 99 attached to the plate 51 is urged into contact with a cam 100 carried by the sleeve 79 and an arm 102 also pivoted from the bracket 99 carries a rib 103 disposed between two tongues 104 of a forked end of the tool 54 and offers a bearing pad 105 to the foil strip 1, during the winding operation. The arm 102 pivots with the lever 98 and a flat 106 on a cam 100 provides clearance to permit the pad 105 to contact the strip during winding. A link 107 positioned between the flanges 94, 108 is connected to a push/pull plunger 109 of the valve 66. The electrical circuit includes a main switch 110, vibrator stop and start buttons 111, an electromagnetic relay 112, safety limit switches 90 and a terminal block 113. The magazine area of the unit is sited on the " clean "  side of a partition 116 whilst the remainder of the unit is sited on the " active " side. In operation a fuel element end cap 3 is located in the winding and peening position, Fig. 1, the strip 1 fed via the slot 136 into the groove 2 and the penning unit switched on. The mandrel 7 is rotated by the hand nut 8 to wind the strip into the groove 2 where it is secured by the simultaneous peening operation. On completion the motor is stopped, the lever 71 rotated in a clockwise direction to open the limit switch 95 and unlock the lever 70 by aligning the indent 90 with the end of the bolt 85. The lever 70 is rotated clockwise to operate the valve 66 and retract the ram 10, the spring-loaded plunger 11 depressed to detach the cap 3 from the end of the mandrel 7 and to re-insert it into its sleeve 119 and the slide 9 traversed to deposit the assembly into a discharge port 12. The sleeve 26 of the slide is then registered with the magazine, re-charged, and traversed to bring the fresh cap into register with the ram 10 whereupon the ram is extended by operation of the lever 70 to bring the cap into engagement with the mandrel 7. Finally the interlock is engaged, the limit switch closed and the engagement of the pad 105 with the groove 2 of the new cap effected by lever 71. In an alternative arrangement the vibrator 50 is slidably mounted in a housing 126 and held away from the mandrel 7 by a spring 127. A micrometer type adjusting member 128 is rotated by means of a key fitted to an extension 135 to advance the vibrator in 0.001 inch steps towards the mandrel 7. The adjustable plate 51 of the earlier embodiment is thereby dispensed with and the winding unit 5 supported by the vibrator housing 126 in lieu of the bracket 43. The foil strip 1 is supplied from a reel to the guide 6 and is severed by a known device when a sufficient length has been placed in the groove.